


The Art of Caring

by bomdiasapatao



Category: Amar a Muerte (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Juliana is a gay mess, Val is a literal angel, no one dies calm down, vet au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-04-24 02:18:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19163806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bomdiasapatao/pseuds/bomdiasapatao
Summary: Juliana was used to being alone, life was comfortable that way. Until she stumbled across a stray puppy that wouldn't seem to leave her alone. In comes the intelligent, sweet, and incredibly beautiful Veterinarian named Valentina. Juliana would do anything to see her again, and now she has an excuse...





	1. Chapter 1 - a new friend

Juliana had never kept any type of pet in her life. Hell, she could barely take care of herself growing up, but she had to. Having a hitman as a father made sure of that. Which is why, she sort of panicked when the little four legged creature staring at her with expecting eyes wouldn’t leave her side. 

She had been walking home after a long day at the shop, burger in hand, when the thing came rushing out of a back alley toward her, obviously starving. Despite not ever having a connection to animals before, she felt a sense of compassion toward the puppy. What with its cutely cropped ears, soft brown and white coat, and bright blue eyes, how could she say no? And that was how moments later she found herself sitting on a nearby bench, sharing bits of her burger with her new acquaintance.

Expecting the puppy to be satisfied after said feast, Juliana set off to continue walking home – alone, but the puppy seemed to have other ideas.

“Hey little… guy, girl? You can’t follow me. I fed you, that’s it. Go off now.” Juliana looked down at the puppy sternly, but her words didn’t seem to be registering. She tried walking away again, it followed. Juliana stopped abruptly, and the puppy ran smack into the back of her. The puppy seemed to be frustrated by this and began attacking her legs.

“What the… OW! Why are your teeth like fucking knives?” She tried shaking the puppy off her leg to no avail. A few passersby’s laughed at the scene. Fucking assholes, all of them. 

Juliana reached down to forcefully pry the creature from her pant leg, scooping it into her arms. The puppy seemed to instantly calm at her attention. This little creature was warm, Juliana thought. Its blue eyes gazed directly at her, and she too felt a sense of tranquility.

No, she couldn’t. But…

A rough tongue gliding across her cheek roused Juliana out of her own thought pattern. 

“Hey! I didn’t give you consent.” Juliana wiped her face in disgust. The puppy let out a high-pitched bark that sounded more like an ambulance siren, and Juliana was sure she would soon develop a headache. This thing kept looking at her as if she held all the answers to the universe.

Juliana was lost, she had no knowledge even about the basic care for a dog, but it didn’t seem like she would be left alone any time soon. Plus, the thing was cute, she grudgingly had to admit. An internal dilemma. 

A cute growl emanated from the warmth in her arms, a nearby squirrel scurrying up a tree had caught someone’s very waning interest. 

“Oh, you’re so mean and tough, aren’t you? I think you’re all talk.” Juliana went to tap the puppy on its nose, and it immediately latched onto her finger. Juliana let out a yelp. 

“Okay I take it back, please stop hurting me! You’re a bad ass.” She wrenched her hand away. The puppy redirected its attention and began licking her face again.

“Stop! Stop. Okay listen,” she spoke directly at the thing, as if it was understanding her every word. “I’ll let you stay the night, only because I feel bad and I don’t want you terrorizing the neighborhood squirrels. Then I’m taking you somewhere they can find you a home. Got it?” 

The puppy was cutely cocking its head, it appeared to be listening to her. Juliana softly pet its head, giving it a scratch under the chin. The puppy closed its eyes in content.

Fuck, Juliana thought. This may be the end of her.

She resumed the long walk to her apartment, stroking the little creature’s head as it drifted off to sleep in her arms. This would be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my sapatonas. Okay so yes this is super short but I just wanted to write a quick little intro before Val enters. Also to see if people were even interested in me continuing this.. please let me know what you thought!! Any constructive criticism is welcomed :)
> 
> Also, if you wanna follow me on twitter to see me lose my shit daily, its @depressedngay 
> 
> XOXO - dumb bitch


	2. Blue

So maybe Juliana was having second thoughts. She surveyed the disaster that was her bedroom, which before had been somewhat presentable. She honestly didn’t know what to expect bringing the puppy into her apartment, but she did not expect it to wreak utter havoc on her belongings.

Clothes, that she had not put there herself lay strewn across the floor; her trash can spilled over and its contents decorating the carpet. Her easel had been viciously attacked, withstanding bite marks up and down its wooden legs. Not to mention the roll of toilet paper that was stolen from her bathroom and torn to living hell. That had been the last addition to the puppy’s catastrophic masterpiece.

She had been like a goalie, chasing the puppy around and trying to block it from locking onto its next target. Juliana soon learned her efforts were futile. The thing did not listen whatsoever, and redirected its attention to attacking her when she tried to step in. Eventually, she just let it happen.

Juliana never thought that much evil could live in such a tiny, tiny body.

Said evil was currently snuggled up on a towel (that had been forcefully dragged to the foot of her bed) and fast asleep. Juliana glared at the puppy’s sleeping form, regretting this situation altogether.

The puppy’s nose twitched, and it let out a huffing whine in its slumber. Probably dreaming about chasing squirrels. Juliana glared harder - she didn’t need this cuteness right now.

Juliana tiptoed around the sleeping creature, so as to not wake the beast and spare her living space any further damage. She grudgingly removed her shoes and socks before changing into a t-shirt and sleep shorts. Her body was already exhausted from waitressing all day, and now this. She honestly didn’t have the energy for anything else.

Juliana rubbed her face with an open palm, a frustrated sigh escaping her chest. It’s only for tonight, she reminded herself.

She climbed into bed, her eyes already drooping on their own accord. Blindly reaching and searching, she managed to turn off the bedside lamp just before her brain disconnected from consciousness.

                                                                                                         _______________________

Juliana was wrenched from slumber as a wet tongue invaded her open mouth. She sputtered and her face tightened in disgust. “WHA- excuse me! What did we talk about?!” She firmly pushed the puppy’s body off her, from where it had been perched on her chest.

“You’re going to be dealing with a class action lawsuit one day if this continues, and I won’t be bailing you out.”

The puppy just barked and wagged its tail in response, staring at her with those blue eyes.

“El Diablo, that’s what you are. And how did you even get up here?” Juliana’s eyes scanned the room suspiciously. There at the foot of her bed sat her desk chair, strategically placed for infiltration.

“What the fuck? Are you Houdini now too?” Juliana’s eyes shot back to her intruder. The puppy cocked its head cutely, barked, and then immediately started chewing on her pillow.

“Stop! Not this again…” Juliana growled in frustration and pried the puppy away, holding it to her chest. The thing started squirming, not taking well to Juliana’s restraint.

She launched herself out of bed, nearly kissing the floor in her haste to wrestle out of the sheets.

If this thing wouldn’t listen to her, she was going to make sure of it. The puppy dangled in her arms as Juliana marched across her room, heading to the kitchen. Good thing it was a weekend and she didn’t have to worry about work. It was her only time to relax. But now she had this mess to deal with.

Juliana did not know of any animal shelters or rescues nearby, she really needed to get rid of this problem though, and soon. Juliana decided to seek help.

She cradled the puppy in one arm while struggling to dial out a number on her phone. After two rings, the person on the other end picked up.

“Juliana?” Her mother’s voice rang clear. She too sounded tired.

“Mami? I have a problem.”

“What is it this time?” Juliana scoffed at that. She was _not_ problematic.

“I’m going to ignore that. So… theoretically… if I needed to take a homeless dog somewhere to find it a home, where would that be?” Juliana bounced the puppy in her arms like a child, it seemed to be losing patience.

“Juliana! Did you bring a stray dog in? You don’t know what they could be carrying.” Lupe held a disapproving tone. Juliana rolled her eyes, glad that her mother couldn’t see her at the moment.

“Yes mami I know… but I’m trying to do the right thing here! The poor little animal was starving and cold. It wouldn’t stop following me I swear.” Her mother’s sigh reverberated through the receiver.

“You know what Juliana, I’m too tired to argue. There are no shelters by you, but there is a vet clinic that I’ve heard will take in homeless pets sometimes. The head Veterinarian there is very knowledgeable and sweet.” Lupe explained where the clinic was located. Juliana assumed that they took Panchito’s chihuahua there.

“Okay thanks!” Juliana hung up quickly, not waiting for a response. The puppy had started sucking on her shirt. At least she wasn’t being bit.

She made another call to the clinic her mother suggested, and they were able to squeeze her in to be seen.

Juliana rushed to her bathroom, locking the puppy in with her so she could keep a close eye while she prepared for the day. She made sure to remove any and all toiletries before setting the puppy down. She stripped down, feeling a little weird about being watched through tiny adorable eyes.

“Don’t forget about that lawsuit…” Juliana mumbled before closing the curtain and immersing herself in the hot steam of the shower. She allowed the vapor to open her up, breathing in deeply. The hot water pounded her body, relaxing her sore and overworked muscles. She lathered herself up, wiping away built up layers of grime and sweat from the previous night.

A distinct whining noise broke her from reverie. That didn’t last long.

She finished showering in haste, afraid that the little devil would start wreaking havoc yet again. Stepping out, the puppy began circling Juliana’s legs as she reached for a towel to wrap herself in. It barked happily and started lapping at her legs.

“Gross! I literally just showered. That’s disgusting.” She shook the puppy off her leg, and it fell back onto its haunches with a huff.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Juliana thought maybe the puppy was thirsty, so she prepared a small bowl of water which was diminished rather quickly.

Juliana continued getting ready at lightning speed, excited to be rid of the puppy. She changed into jeans and her favorite bright yellow t-shirt with red lettering on the front. Checking herself out one last time in the mirror, she snatched the puppy up and head out the door.

                                                                                                          _______________________

The vet clinic was not far from her apartment but traveling by foot definitely took much longer. Not to mention the extra weight she was lugging around. Juliana was afraid the puppy would run off if she set it down. She occupied its miniscule attention span by giving out regular pets throughout the journey.

Juliana recognized the clinic now; she passed it on her way to work every day. She had never really noticed before now. The outside was honestly very nice. The white building did not look new, but she could tell it was kept up well. Whoever owned the place obviously put a lot of care into their work.

Juliana approached the door of the clinic; she could make out words printed on the glass – _Sunshine Animal Hospital_.

As soon as she entered the building, a small gasp caught her attention. The woman at the front desk seemed to think the devil in her arms was an angel.

“You must be Juliana! And who is this?” The woman smiled at her.

“Um… yeah, I really haven’t thought of a name yet. I’m not planning on – “   

“That’s fine! A name will come to you soon enough.” Did she just interrupt me? She did, Juliana thought.

“Anyway, we need to weigh this little fur baby!” The woman held out her arms, silently asking Juliana to hand the puppy over from behind the counter. She watched as the woman coddled the puppy. It started wagging its tail happily at the attention.

“Yeah so now you’re sweet…” Juliana mumbled to herself.

“What was that? She’s eleven pounds by the way.”

It’s a girl? Juliana thought. She had no idea how to tell that kind of thing and this woman did it within seconds.

“That must be why my back was almost breaking trying to carry her here.” That received a fake laugh out of the woman, who handed the puppy back to Juliana.

“If you would just take a seat in room one, the doctor will be in shortly to speak with you.” Juliana sat down and the door closed behind her. She immediately became nervous. Juliana hadn’t explained that she didn’t plan on keeping the puppy. Would the doctor judge her? Look down on her? She doesn’t know how crazy animal people are.

She glanced around the small exam room. The walls were decorated with diagrams of various diseases spouting educational facts. There was a set of cabinets and drawers joined to a sink in the corner, and a metal table that was currently folded up, attached to the wall.

She sat in silence for a few long minutes.

A light knock on the door alerted her. The puppy’s ears perked at the sound. She sat up in Juliana’s lap and began barking as the door crept open.

The space revealed a tall, slender woman dressed professionally in black slacks and a crisp white button down that was rolled up to reveal her delicate forearms. The woman, Juliana presumed her the doctor, was stunningly attractive – with long brown hair cascading across her shoulders, swept away from her face and clipped back at the top, and penetrating blue eyes. Her beauty was disarming, really.

Juliana felt the apology she was forming die in her throat; she could not speak. If she thought her heart was beating fast before, it was going double time now.

Oh god, she thought. This was ridiculous, she felt as if she were in one of those shitty romance movies.

“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Carvajal and I’ll be helping you today.” The doctor held out her hand in formal greeting, flashing Juliana a smile.

You are helping me in more ways than one, Juliana thought.

She coughed, realizing she had made it awkward by not responding, and her arm shot out to return the gesture. The puppy between them observed their interaction curiously.

“Juliana.” She choked.

Being in this woman’s proximity was too much. Her handshake was also very… firm and Juliana didn’t want to let go. The doctor’s hands were soft, yet confident – her fingers long and slender.

Basically, lesbian porn.

Juliana was staring, and she knew it. But she couldn’t stop.

The doctor quirked a smile, amused by the young woman in front of her that appeared lost in thought.

“So, who’s this precious little girl you have with you?” she cooed at the puppy.

“I don’t really have a name for her yet actually…” Juliana said sheepishly, looking down and stroking the puppy on its head.

Dr. Carvajal looked on without judgement, her blue eyes inviting and warm. Juliana wondered how she was going to make it through this alive.

“Completely normal, Juliana. It will come to you soon enough. Let’s get her up on the table so I can take a look at her while I ask you a few questions.” The doctor spoke eloquently, her voice was assuring and assertive at the same time.

Juliana would do anything she asked, if she kept talking like that.

Dr. Carvajal released the latch holding the exam table against the wall and Juliana watched her forearms flex as she carefully guided it to the ground. Jesus Christ.

Juliana got up and stood opposite the other woman, table between them. She lifted the puppy and placed her on the table.

The doctor noticed their height difference now. There was something about the woman in front of her that intrigued her very much, and she couldn’t deny that she was gorgeous. Juliana’s eyes held a warmth in them she had never seen before, despite her somewhat guarded attitude. The bright yellow t-shirt she was wearing complimented her rich skin tone, and her slightly wet and messy hair was adorable. It looked like she had just woken up.

Dr. Carvajal could sense Juliana’s nervous energy. She reached out, placing her hand atop Juliana’s resting on the table.

“Don’t worry, I know the first appointment can be scary, but I assure you I just want to make sure she’s healthy. We won’t do anything that’s uncomfortable for her.” The doctor directed at Juliana, assuming she was nervous for the puppy.

“Thank you, Dr. Carvajal.” Juliana stuttered, taking her hand away to scratch the puppy behind its ears.

“Now, how long have you had this baby?” Dr. Carvajal smiled sweetly at the puppy while praising her and tickling her belly. The puppy yipped and tried to play with the doctor’s hands, squirming all over the table.

Juliana briefly explained that she had picked the puppy up off the street, and that she had no history concerning its health. Also, that she had never cared for a pet before.

Throughout this, the doctor nodded and listened attentively.

“Okay Juliana, so here’s the best plan of action I’m going to recommend. Since she’s a stray she is likely unvaccinated, so I would like to do that today. She is old enough, I just want to make sure she’s healthy first.” The doctor was very expressive, her whole body seemed to animate as she talked, and Juliana could tell she was very passionate.

“I’m just going to do a quick physical exam, if you could just hold her for me.” Normally, she would have someone to help her hold but Juliana was an unexpected appointment and all her nurses were busy at the moment.

Juliana nodded and watched as Dr. Carvajal expertly handled the puppy, first checking its eyes and ears, then teeth. The puppy surprisingly complied throughout each step.

She watched as the doctor used a stethoscope to listen to the puppy’s heart and lungs. Juliana was in awe watching her work.

Dr. Carvajal presented her findings as she went on with the exam, answering any questions Juliana had about the puppy’s general health or care recommendations. She learned that the puppy's breed was most likely pit bull, judging by it's characteristics.

The doctor gently turned the puppy around, feeling its stomach and checking its paws, as well as its mobility. The puppy whined aloud while she was extending its back legs.

“Did that hurt?” The doctor made the same motion again, stretching the puppy’s hind leg out fully. Nothing happened. She repeated this several times, just to be sure.

“Is she okay?” Juliana worried.

“Yes, puppies are known to be dramatic and they let us know if they don’t want to be touched in a certain way. You’ve got a little drama queen here.” Dr. Carvajal laughed, her nose scrunching up cutely.

God. She’s so fucking cute, Juliana thought.

“I kind of gathered that, actually.” Juliana smiled, and the doctor lost her train of thought for a moment.

Juliana had a very beautiful smile.

Dr. Carvajal finished up the exam, taking the puppy’s temperature which, she did not like at _all_. Juliana had to hold her down.

“So she looks very healthy – her temperature was a little high, but most likely because she’s nervous. I feel comfortable giving her vaccines today if you would want to do that.” Dr. Carvajal explained to Juliana the importance of vaccines and that the puppy would need them to protect her from fatal diseases, especially if she’s going to be in contact with other animals. She went over the price of everything she was recommending, and how the process worked. Juliana learned that she would have to visit at least three more times to have some of the vaccines readministered until they were effective in the puppy’s immune system. This thing was becoming expensive.

Juliana had no intentions of keeping the puppy, but all she could think about was the beautiful woman standing in front of her, and how she really wanted to see her again. She really was a useless lesbian.

Dr. Carvajal was staring at her expectantly, stroking the puppy as Juliana came to a decision.

“Let’s do it.” Juliana said resolutely. Internally, she was cringing thinking about the dent this would make in her bank account.

“Great!” The doctor gleefully clapped her hands together. Her lips parted to release another one of those charming smiles. “I’ll prepare everything and then come back.” She left the room, Juliana now alone with her thoughts.

“If we don’t end up falling madly in love then I’m going to resent you for the rest of my life.” Juliana stared at the puppy, who was currently sitting cutely on the exam table, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.

Dr. Carvajal reentered shortly with several syringes full of colored liquid and a plastic tube in her hand. She explained to Juliana what each vaccine was before she administered them. Juliana had some familiarity with them, except for one.

“What’s Leptospirosis?”

Dr. Carvajal seemed delighted at the question, Juliana really was interested. A lot of owners did not care to ask, preferring to agree with everything she said simply because she was a doctor.

“Good question, Juliana. Leptospirosis is not a core vaccination; however, we still recommend it. It’s a bacterium that can be picked up from wild animal urine or feces. It’s transferrable to humans and can be very deadly, affecting the liver or kidney, and causing organ failure in some cases.”  Juliana was trying really hard to listen without being distracted by the other woman’s beauty.

Everything she said sounded so hot, even if she didn’t understand.

“Well, that doesn’t sound great. I mean, why not just destroy your liver the way everyone else does by drinking.” Juliana joked.

Dr. Carvajal let out a cute giggle at that.

Well that’s my favorite sound ever now, Juliana thought.

The doctor finished injecting the puppy with vaccines, which originally was a struggle until the women both found out that she was easily bribed with treats. Dr. Carvajal also collected a sample from the puppy to run an intestinal parasite exam, telling Juliana that she would contact her if anything turned up.

Was it bad that Juliana hoped her puppy had worms? She was a horrible person.

Dr. Carvajal explained to Juliana what to expect after the vaccines were given, and what vaccine reactions to watch out for.

“Facial swelling, hives, fever, any excessive vomiting or diarrhea. If you see these please bring her back to us or take her to the nearest emergency clinic. She will probably be tired for the rest of the day; they tend to do that.”

The doctor reiterated everything they talked about during the appointment, reminding Juliana about the importance of spaying and getting the puppy started on flea and heartworm prevention. Juliana was not able to do everything today, and Dr. Carvajal was very understanding about that.

Literally, this woman was perfect.

“Juliana, it was so nice to meet you and this precious girl. Thank you for bringing her in.” She ruffled the puppy’s coat which earned her an exhausted yawn in return.

Juliana was in disbelief. This woman… this amazing, intelligent woman was thanking _her_ after all that she herself had done?

Dr. Carvajal led Juliana to the door, letting her know that the front desk would check her out.

“Please, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call.” The doctor extended a business card to the space between them. Juliana’s hand not currently occupied by a sleepy puppy reached out to take the card.

Their fingers brushed, and Juliana swore she heard a hitch of breath. She glimpsed briefly at the card.

_Valentina._

That name fit her perfectly, although Juliana couldn’t explain it.

Valentina was suddenly struggling with her professionalism. Juliana was very close, and she had not yet been able to admire her beauty freely without the guise of her work hanging over them. Their eyes locked, and after a moment Juliana broke the contact, shoving the card into her pocket.

Valentina smirked. In Juliana’s haste the card was now a crumbled-up mess – though she didn’t take any offense.

She leaned over to open the door for Juliana, and as she did so her arm lightly brushed the girl’s torso.

“See you in three weeks, Juliana.” The doctor’s blue eyes bore into her own, and Juliana’s brain short circuited.

“Yeah.” Was all Juliana said before walking out the door, puppy cradled in her arms.

_Yeah_? Really? She couldn’t have thought of something better… not even bye? Juliana internally beat herself up.

She paid her bill at the front desk, going through the motions. Her mind was otherwise occupied. Juliana shook her head, willing herself to stop thinking about the doctor. She had never been so taken with a complete stranger before today.

A beautiful, smart, sexy stranger – she thought.

She trekked back to her apartment, planning to let the puppy rest before going out and buying everything that Valentina recommended. Really, was she going to do everything this woman said? The answer was yes.

Struggling to fish the keys from her pocket, she opened her apartment door softly as to not wake the slumbering creature in her arms. She went into her bedroom and laid the puppy down on the bed.

Juliana prepared a makeshift cot for the puppy to sleep on for now and placed it to the side. She gently lifted the puppy and put her down on it, and she instantly snuggled up. Now that Valentina had enlightened her, Juliana had a better sense of what to do if the puppy started acting up again. She was prepared.

Juliana herself was still exhausted. She usually slept most of the day on weekends, due to her demanding work. By the end of the week she was always beat.

She hopped into bed for a quick power nap, hoping she would wake before the puppy.

As she lay there, her mind drifted yet again to the captivating woman she met today. Valentina. A goofy smile formed on Juliana’s lips, not of her own accord. She quickly beat it down – she shouldn’t be this invested already.

But as she drifted off to sleep, all she saw was the color blue.

_Blue._

The puppy’s name would be Blue.


	3. chapter 3 - focus

“Juliana!”

“Sorry, what?” Juliana shook her head, loose strands of hair fluttering with the movement. She had been wiping down tables on autopilot, her mind felt heavy and disconnected from the rest.

“I’ve been calling your name for almost a minute now, where is your head? They need you in the back.” Lupe stood with her arms crossed, analyzing silently.

“Just thinking about dinner.” Juliana lied. Lately she found herself daydreaming at the least opportune moments about the doctor she had met the previous week. Not to mention the nightly dreams that had Juliana waking up in a sweat, which she followed with a very cold shower. She never imagined exam tables could be used in so many ways…

Ever since meeting Valentina, Juliana felt so – off. Not in a bad way, but in the ‘I won’t be able to rest until I see her again’ kind of way. A fucking cliché, really.

Juliana hadn’t interacted with the doctor since Blue’s appointment on Sunday, and it was currently Wednesday. To her dismay, Blue did not have parasites – she was secretly hoping for that phone call. God, she was an asshole. She couldn’t stop thinking about her.

It was so bad, Juliana herself didn’t notice she was distracted until someone else pointed it out.

“Right.” Her mother looked on suspiciously as she made her way to the kitchen area.

Gonna hear about _that_ tomorrow, Juliana thought.

Her mother was a lot of things, but she was not a dumb ass. Lupe had dealt with this situation time and time again, as Juliana tended to become infatuated easily with people she dated in the past. However, Lupe found it odd that not even a name was mentioned. Usually Juliana would have recounted a first date story already. They were fairly close and open with each other.

Juliana struggled to push open the heavy metal door; after a long day she was feeling pretty weak. As soon as she stepped into the kitchen, the heat of the room settled into her skin and pushed against her clothes. She surveyed the chefs working, bustling about the area – juggling pots and throwing ingredients here and there.

The appliances were not state of the art by any means, but they got the job done. Sure, one of the ovens didn’t work and the sink never fully shut off – it just kept dripping, but it was theirs. Well not hers, yet. Lupe had worked her way up to ownership through starting as a waitress. At the time, she was desperate for a job and the restaurant was the closest establishment to her. Perlita took liking to Lupe right away, and after a few years decided that she would be perfect to take her place. Perlita had since passed.

Juliana knew that she was expected to take over in the same fashion. It was like an unspoken rule.

“Juliana, there you are. Can you run to the store real quick? We’re almost out of oil and we won’t make it to the end of the night. The order doesn’t come in until tomorrow.” Panchito was faced away, too busy stirring some type of sauce on the stove. The intense aroma filled the air and Juliana breathed in contently. That was something she would never tire of – good food.

Juliana’s feet were extremely sore from waiting tables nonstop since early in the morning. The last thing she wanted to do right now was walk two blocks for some damn oil. But, mother’s orders.

“Company card?” she held her hand out resolutely.

“Here.” Panchito reached in his pocket and slid the card into her awaiting hand.

She gave a half smile and transferred the card into her back pocket before removing her apron. At least she would be getting a change of scenery, versus being cooped up in the restaurant’s familiar brick walls.

The atmosphere outside was cool, a drastic change from the heat of the kitchen. It settled in her bones, and she shivered. Maybe she should have brought a jacket.

She looked up at the sky, sparse wisps of clouds had scattered amongst the blended oranges and pinks. Another one of her favorite things.

Juliana rubbed up and down on her arms, trying to generate some warmth as she set pace toward the store. Her mind briefly flashed to Blue. Believe it or not, Juliana had quickly grown attached to the puppy in no time at all. Especially since she was having more success with getting Blue to behave, thanks to Valentina’s advice. She was even in the process of training her to sit.

Other things, like consent, they were still working on. Nevertheless, Juliana was proud. There was something fulfilling about caring for a being other than herself. It invoked a feeling in her that she never had before.

She took her time walking, enjoying the fresh air and sights and sounds of the evening.

Juliana waited for the little green man to pop up on the crosswalk sign and looked both ways before jogging across.

She arrived at the old convenience store, which seemed to be on its last leg. Paint was peeling off the walls, and the door just decoration, only attached by one hinge. It was also named _Quickie Mart_ , which Juliana had always thought _very_ charming.

She kept her head down, avoiding any unnecessary human interaction, and traversed through the aisles. Despite the outward appearance, the inside of the store was pretty well kept, and the shelves were fully stocked.

Juliana easily located the vegetable oil and grabbed two bottles, balancing them under her arm. She cut through the next aisle on her way to the register.

Juliana passed the pet section of the store, and she was struck with an idea. An absolutely idiotic idea. She stuttered in her tracks and bit her lip in hesitation. This could be her chance to talk to the woman that had invaded her dreams for the past few days.

Just one phone call wouldn’t hurt, Juliana thought. Besides, if it was about Blue, it wouldn’t be weird or anything.

Juliana’s fingers fiddled with her cellphone while she built up the nerve to dial the number printed on the card in her pocket. Yes, she had kept the doctor's card on her person ever since that day.

For emergencies only, of course.

She closed her eyes and sighed outwardly before quickly tapping the button to initiate the call. It rung twice until someone picked up.

“Hello, this is _Sunshine Animal Hospital_. How may we help you today?” Juliana recognized the voice of the receptionist. She had not thought about what she was going to say.

This was a dumb idea.

“Um… is Dr. Carvajal in today? I just had a question.” Juliana cursed herself for not thinking this through.

“May I ask who this is? If it’s something one of the nurses can answer I can hand you off to them instead.” Juliana figured that would happen, Valentina was probably busy and had everyone and their mother requesting her attention.  

“Juliana Valdés… if she’s busy I can call back another time-” Juliana heard rustling in the background and a distinct voice speaking at low volume. It sounded as if the phone was being passed off.

“Juliana! Hi, how are you?” Valentina’s tone filled her ears. Soft and scratchy, probably worn out from talking about parasites, bacteria, and other sexy stuff all day. Her voice was music to Juliana’s gay ears.

“Dr. Carvajal? I’m good… sorry to call so unexpectedly.” She honestly did not expect to speak to her.

“Nonsense Juliana, I did say that you could call for anything you needed, didn’t I? So, what’s up?” Juliana nearly choked; she swore that the doctor slightly emphasized the word _anything_. Maybe she was hearing things.

“Uh… well… I’m at the store right now and I can’t seem to find the food that you recommended for Blue. Science Diet, right?” Juliana’s eyes scanned the shelves.

“Right. Have you… not gotten her food since the appointment?” Valentina deadpanned.

“No! I mean, I have gotten her food I just – this is the second time I’ve looked, and I still can’t find it.” Juliana sputtered; she didn’t want Valentina to think she was a horrible owner.

“Juliana. I’m kidding.” The doctor sounded like she was trying to hold in a laugh. “That food I recommended is typically sold in pet stores. What are you feeding her now?” Juliana’s skin was flushed from the doctor’s teasing.

“That explains it. I’ve been going to grocery stores. I picked up some Purina… Focus? It was the chicken and rice one. It had a puppy on it.” Juliana stated a little unsurely, nervously tapping her foot.

“That is also a fairly good brand. Purina Pro Plan is higher tier than their puppy chow. The Focus formula has Docosahexaenoic acid to help with cognitive development and the added calcium will strengthen her teeth and bones. We want to keep her on a puppy diet until she’s a year old. And remember how we talked about grain free foods. They’ve been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy in larger breeds, so we want to stay away from those too. I think you did a great job Juliana.” Valentina sounded pleased.

Juliana was now flushed for a different reason entirely. Something about Dr. Carvajal using big words that she didn’t understand really got her worked up.

Valentina cleared her throat at Juliana’s silence. “Sometimes I talk a lot… I apologize. Habit.”

“No, I… I like listening to you talk.” Juliana really wanted to slap herself, could she _be_ any more obvious?

“Well I’m glad someone appreciates it.” The lilt in her voice let Juliana know that she had been caught off guard by the comment. Juliana smiled to herself.

“I really do. You have helped me so much, and Blue is actually listening to me – something I thought would _never_ happen.” She couldn’t stop the full-on grin from forming. Valentina could hear the smile in her voice, it was contagious. She too, had been hoping to hear from the other woman again.

“Well Juliana, I’m very glad to hear that. And actually, we stock the food I’ve recommended for Blue at the clinic. So, if you wanted to swing by, I could help you out with that.” Juliana noticed that the doctor specifically stated _she_ would be helping her. Personally. _Swoon_.

Okay, calm down Juliana. It’s only a bag of fucking dog food.

“I can’t tonight unfortunately, I’m working late. But, tomorrow? I get off earlier.” She blushed harder.

Get off. Why did she use that wording? Why.

“That would be fine Juliana. I’ll be here. I’ll let them know we’re expecting you. At what time do you think you’d be coming by?” Valentina’s voice rung hopeful.

“Probably around 5:30. Is that a bad time?” Juliana started pacing back and forth in the aisle, restless.

“It’s perfect. I’ll see you then. And Juliana?” Valentina’s tone had dropped at the end, dancing over her ears like smooth silk, and a familiar feeling settled low in Juliana’s stomach.

“Yes?” Her voice cracked slightly. She stopped pacing.

“Please, tell Blue I miss her and give her a kiss for me.” Valentina giggled cutely. Juliana sounded dumbfounded, and it was adorable to her.

“I… yes… I will do that. Thank you Dr. Carvajal. Have a good night.”

“Good night to you too, Juliana.” She quickly hung up the phone and clutched it to her chest, breathing out heavily with her eyes closed.

This woman was going to fucking kill her, simply by voice alone? That was just unacceptable.

“Are you okay?”

Juliana opened her eyes to a stranger staring at her from the other end of the aisle, seemingly witnessing her existential crisis.

“I’m fine.” She cleared her throat awkwardly and shoved the phone back into her pocket. She avoided eye contact and started toward the register.

The stranger looking on in judgement spoke again as she passed. “Are you sure ma’am?” You looked like you were having trouble breathing there for a second… like you were about to pass out or something.”

Juliana grit her teeth. “I’m fine! Really! Thank you for your concern.” She exasperated.

How embarrassing. Can’t she almost faint after talking to a hot woman on the phone without someone calling her out on it? People these days.

The man grumbled something and left it alone. Good, Juliana didn't want to have to fight anyone today.

She quickly paid for her items and left the store, declining the plastic bag offered to her. The breeze enveloped her again and she found herself smiling at nothing in particular.

Well, that’s a lie. She knew exactly what had caused this mood change.

_Valentina._

The woman was like a breath of fresh air, instantly calming Juliana down without even trying. She loved listening to her talk, and she imagined how the doctor would have been gesturing with her hands their entire conversation. Every little thing about Valentina enamored her. She was giddy with the prospect of seeing her tomorrow. She knew now more than ever that she would not be able to concentrate, knowing that she would soon be victim to those beautiful blue eyes again.

She returned to the restaurant, and gladly no one commented on her longer absence. The rest of the night went on uneventful, save for the regular complaints coming from entitled customers. Lupe handled those. Juliana could not be held responsible for her own actions.

“Juliana, please just go home and get some rest. You’re even more distracted than before. Is everything okay?” So, maybe all the mistakes stemmed from something Juliana did not want to admit.

“I’m fine mami, just tired.” Lupe sighed and lightly held her daughter’s face in her hands, worriedly brushing fingers over her cheeks.

“You look it. Please. Go sleep.” She left Juliana with a loving kiss on the forehead.

Juliana rubbed her eyes, and sluggishly took off her apron. She really needed to get her shit together. Valentina could not be affecting her _this_ much, really. She was just tired. Tired from working and raising a new puppy. That was it. 

Sure, Valentina had been occupying her thoughts ever since. She was not going to deny her infatuation. But this time it seemed… all encompassing. Juliana could not shake the feeling that somehow, this was different.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey sapatonas!!! so, this chapter was mostly filler and some background on juliana. sorry for the short length. tbh, i struggled more than usual writing this one, but today by the grace of lesbian jesus i had some inspiration. i don't really like how it turned out tho... 
> 
> idk if you guys can tell but i have no exact plot written out for this, i just write every chapter with no direction and see what happens. lit rally flying by the seat of my pants here luv. which is probably not the best idea but i like to live on the edge B)
> 
> someone mentioned that they would like to see more of val's POV and i think that would be interesting too... it's kind of hard for me to do though? like when i'm writing i get so into juliana's POV that i almost forget. it was hard to do in this chapter bc valentina wasn't actually "in" the scenes, if that makes sense. i will try to be more in depth with what val is thinking in the future, when they are interacting. but i think as of right now this is gonna be more tailored to juliana's POV. would you guys want me to do a chapter focusing on val? let me know.
> 
> thanks for reading :)  
> -XOXO dumb bitch


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